Lessons Learned

The Lord Is Our Rock

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“You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.“

Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV

We have been saved

We have a fortress of salvation

We have been delivered by Jesus Christ to eternal life

Trust in the Lord, there is no greater strength than the love of God

Let the Word of God wash over you and flow through you in your attitude and behaviors

When we fall down He will pick us up…He renews us and restores us

His Word is a shelter from evil

When it feels like the world is crashing down around us we need to look to the Lord for He is our Rock

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“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

God Is Love

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“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:8 NIV

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:11 NIV

It has been said that in order for people to receive and understand a message they must see/hear it a minimum of three times

May these verses and the words below help each of us to know and understand…

GOD is Love

God IS Love

God is LOVE

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“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

1 John 4:16-21 NIV

(This photo was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Wait For The Lord

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“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV

Father God, break us of our busyness and striving for worldly things.  We want to be people of peace, loving and honoring You.  Help us prioritize our lives during this season of transition.  Show us what we need to surrender to You.  Teach us how to actively wait for You.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.“

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

(This photo was taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountian National Park)

Growing In Faith

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“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

Father God, I want to submit to You.  Please fill my mind with thoughts that honor You and other people.  Guide me to speak in a way so that my words can bring life and encouragement to others.  Transform me into a new person by helping me grow from the inside out.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.”

Psalm 1:1-3 NIV

(This photo was taken while driving on Beartooth Pass in Montana)

Your Grace Is Enough

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“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV

Your Grace Is Enough by Matt Maher

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“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Living Sacrifices

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“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Romans 12:9-13 NIV

Father God, we want every aspect of our lives to be honoring to You.  Sometimes our thoughts get set on things that do not honor You.  Help us each day to renew our minds – to replace negative thoughts with those that are good and pleasing to You.  Help us remember Your truth in every moment.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Palm Sunday

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“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna[b] to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[c]

“Hosanna[d] in the highest heaven!”

Matthew 21:8-9 NIV

Yes You Are Worthy by Eagle Brook Music

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“You are my God, and I will praise you;

    you are my God, and I will exalt you.

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.“

Psalm 118:28-29 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling through Colorado)

Finding Joy

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“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

John 15:9-11 NIV

Father God, we praise You for Your everlasting love.  Sometimes life is hard and all we can see is darkness and death.  Help us remember Your promises and that You are at work, even when we can’t see it.  Please give us rest and the courage to find joy through You and Your Word.  We know You are faithful and that You have already won the battle through Jesus and His death and resurrection.  Thank You Father God! Amen.

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“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

(This photo was taken at a park on Madeline Island in Lake Superior)

Persevere

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“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James 1:2-4 NIV

Father God, please give us strength to run the race of faith.  Often times darkness in this world will bring us many forms of struggle and we are easily distracted and drift away from You.  Fill us with courage to stay close to You and trust in Your promises…even when…especially when we can’t see clearly.  You are the source of our endurance to keep going, when we get knocked back or pushed down we know we can trust in You and keep running the race of faith.  Thank You for all You do for us.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Hebrews 12:1 NIV

(This photo was taken along Beartooth Pass in Montana)

God’s Presence Is All Around Us

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9 NIV

God Is With Us by Casting Crowns

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“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2022 in Big Sky, Montana )